This grosbeak has a black face, yellow head and breast, and olive upperparts. In Central American lowland forest it eats insects, fruit, and seeds.
The face is black, and the head, neck, and breast are yellow. The back, wings, and tail are olive; the rump and belly are grey, and the bill is heavy and mostly black.
It feeds on beetles, caterpillars and other insects, as well as fruit, seeds, and nectar. It uses forest canopies and middle levels, tall second growth, edges, and clearings.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.